| | 宣公十五... : |
十有五年春，公孫歸父會楚子于宋。 |
| | In spring of the fifteenth year, Gongsun Guifu met with King Chǔ at Song.
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| | 宣公十五... : |
夏，五月，宋人及楚人平。外平不書，此何以書？大其平乎已也。何大乎其平乎已？莊王圍宋，軍有七日之糧爾。盡此不勝，將去而歸爾。於是使司馬子反乘堙而堙宋城，宋華元亦乘堙而出見之。司馬子反曰：「子之國何如？」華元曰：「憊矣。」曰：「何如？」曰：「易子而食之，析骸而炊之。」司馬子反曰：「嘻！甚矣憊！雖然，吾聞之也：圍者柑馬而秣之，使肥者應客，是何子之情也？」華元曰：「吾聞之：君子見人之厄則矜之，小人見人之厄則幸之。吾見子之君子也，是以告情于子也。」司馬子反曰：「諾，勉之矣！吾軍亦有七日之糧爾，盡此不勝，將去而歸爾。」揖而去之，反于莊王。莊王曰：「何如？」司馬子反曰：「憊矣！」曰：「何如？」曰：「易子而食之，析骸而炊之。」莊王曰：「嘻！甚矣憊！雖然，吾今取此，然後而歸爾。」司馬子反曰：「不可。臣已告之矣，軍有七日之糧爾。」莊王怒曰：「吾使子往視之，子曷為告之？」司馬子反曰：「以區區之宋，猶有不欺人之臣，可以楚而無乎？是以告之也。」莊王曰：「諾。舍而止。雖然，吾猶取此然後歸爾。」司馬子反曰：「然則君請處于此，臣請歸爾。」莊王曰：「子去我而歸，吾孰與處于此？吾亦從子而歸爾。」引師而去之，故君子大其平乎已也。此皆大夫也，其稱人何？貶。曷為貶？平者在下也。 |
| | In summer, in the fifth month, the people of Song and the people of Chu made peace. Peace made with a foreign state is not recorded; why then is this recorded? It is greatly praised that peace was made by them. What is so great about their making peace? King Zhuangwang besieged Song, and the army had only seven days' worth of provisions. If they could not win with this, they would withdraw and return. At that time, he sent Sima Zifan to ascend the mound and approach the walls of Song city, and Prince Hua Yuan of Song also ascended a mound to go out and meet him. Sima Zifan said, "How is your state?" Hua Yuan said, "It is exhausted." He asked, "How so?" Hua Yuan replied, "We exchange children to eat, and split bones to burn as fuel." Sima Zifan said: "Ah! How exhausted they are!" "Nevertheless, I have heard that when a city is besieged, the horses are fed citrus fruits and given good fodder to fatten them for entertaining guests. How could this be your true situation?" Hua Yuan said: "I have heard that gentlemen feel compassion when they see others in distress, while small men take delight in the misfortune of others. I see you as a gentleman, so I have told you the truth." Sima Zifan said: "Yes. Strive on! Our army also has only seven days' worth of rations. If we cannot win with this, we will withdraw and return." They bowed to each other and parted, then Sima Zifan returned to King Zhuangwang. King Zhuangwang asked: "How did it go?" Sima Zifan replied, "It is exhausted!" The king asked, "How so?" He replied: "They exchange children to eat and split bones for fuel." King Zhuangwang said, "Ah! łoż "Indeed exhausted!" "Nevertheless, I will now take this city and then return." Sima Zifan said: "No, it cannot be done. I have already told them that our army has only seven days' provisions." King Zhuangwang angrily said, "I sent you to inspect the situation. Why did you tell them?" Sima Zifan said: "Such a small state as Song still has loyal ministers who do not deceive others. How can the great Chu lack such people? That is why I told them." King Zhuangwang said: "Yes. We will withdraw and stop the siege." "Nevertheless, I still intend to take this city before returning." Sima Zifan said: "Then Your Majesty please remain here, and I shall return." King Zhuangwang said: "If you leave me and go back, with whom shall I stay here? I will also follow you back." He led his army away and lifted the siege, which is why gentlemen greatly praise their making peace. These were all high-ranking officials; then why are they referred to as "people"? It is a demotion in status. Why is it considered a demotion? Because the one who made peace was of lower rank.
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| | 宣公十五... : |
六月癸卯，晉師滅赤狄潞氏，以潞子嬰兒歸。潞何以稱子？潞子之為善也，躬足以亡爾。雖然，君子不可不記也。離于夷狄，而未能合于中國，晉師伐之，中國不救，狄人不有，是以亡也。 |
| | On the Gaimao day of the sixth month, the Jin army destroyed the Chi Di Lu Shi clan and brought back Luxizi Yingying. Why is Lu referred to as zi? Because Luxizi was virtuous, his personal virtue was sufficient for him to perish. Nevertheless, gentlemen cannot fail to record it. He distanced himself from the Yi and Di peoples but had not yet integrated with Zhongguo (the Central States). When the Jin army attacked, the Central States did not come to his aid, nor did the Di people protect him; thus he perished.
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| | 宣公十五... : |
秦人伐晉。 |
| | The Qin people attacked Jin.
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| | 宣公十五... : |
王札子殺召伯、毛伯。王札子者何？長庶之號也。 |
| | Wang Zazi killed Zhao Bo and Mao Bo. Who was Wang Zazi? It is the title of a senior commoner.
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| | 宣公十五... : |
秋，螽。 |
| | In autumn, locusts swarmed.
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| | 宣公十五... : |
仲孫蔑會齊高固于牟婁。 |
| | Zhong Sunmie met with Gao Gu of Qi at Moulu.
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| | 宣公十五... : |
初稅畝。初者何？始也。稅畝者何？履畝而稅也。初稅畝，何以書？譏。何譏爾？譏始履畝而稅也。何譏乎始履畝而稅？古者什一而藉。古者曷為什一而藉？什一者天下之中正也。多乎什一，大桀、小桀；寡乎什一，大貉、小貉。什一者天下之中正也，什一行而頌聲作矣。 |
| | The initial land tax was levied. What does "chu" mean? It means the beginning. What is "shui mu"? It refers to levying a tax based on the measurement of land. Why is "the initial land tax" recorded? It is a censure. What exactly is being criticized? It criticizes the beginning of levying taxes based on measured land. Why criticize the start of taxing based on measured land? In ancient times, a tax of one-tenth was levied through corvée labor. Why did the ancients levy a tenth part in this way? A tax of one-tenth is the just and moderate standard for all under heaven. Taxes heavier than a tenth are great tyrants or small tyrants; Taxes lighter than a tenth make one a great 貉 or a small 貉. A tax of one-tenth represents the just and moderate standard for the world; when this tax is implemented, songs of praise arise.
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| | 宣公十五... : |
冬，蝝生。未有言蝝生者，此其言蝝生何？蝝生不書，此何以書？幸之也。幸之者何？猶曰受之云爾。受之云爾者何？上變古易常，應是而有天災，其諸則宜於此焉變矣。 |
| | In winter, locust eggs were laid. There has never been a record of locust eggs being mentioned; then why is the hatching of locust eggs recorded here? The hatching of locusts is not usually recorded; so why is it recorded here? It indicates a sense of hope or expectation. What does "hoping for something" mean here? It is as if saying, "May it be accepted." What does "may it be accepted" mean? When the upper authorities change ancient customs and alter established norms, in response to this there are heavenly disasters; it is appropriate for something to change at this point.
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| | 宣公十五... : |
饑。 |
| | Famine occurred.
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